Rockland man nets 3 years for felony theft

Rockland — A 34-year-old Rockland man pleaded guilty April 30 to a felony count of theft for stealing merchandise from Main Street businesses and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Stony Blue Vega pleaded guilty to the theft charge and to an attempted trafficking in prison contraband count and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Vega admitted to stealing items from The Black Parrot and the Michael Good Gallery, but was apprehended by Rockland Police. Vega is not ordered to pay restitution as the items were recovered.

Vega has a double burglary conviction from 2011, making the most recent theft charge a felony.

Vega was also charged with a count of attempted trafficking of drugs in connection with Suboxone strips being smuggled into the facility by his girlfriend. A felony count of trafficking in prison contraband was dismissed.

Vega's girlfriend, Alyssa Bennett, 18, of Rockland was arrested March 28 for smuggling Suboxone strips, concealed in the spine of a Bible, into the Knox County Jail while Vega was incarcerated. According to the complaint filed, Bennett had brought the 8 milligram strips into the jail once before, on March 1. She was charged with trafficking in prison contraband and unlawful possession of drugs. Her case is still pending.